Project Overview

A leading global payment solution provider engaged EazyPay Tech as its strategic technology partner for EMV Level 2 Contact Kernel development and certification support. The objective was to build, upgrade, and maintain a fully compliant EMV Level 2 Contact Kernel while ensuring seamless coordination with EMVCo accredited laboratories and reducing certification time, cost, and operational risk across multiple payment device models.

Background 

The client was expanding its portfolio of cash dispenser terminals and payment devices to meet global EMV mandates from all major card schemes (such as Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay ). 

Key challenges for Customer:

• Identifying a reliable EMV Level 2 Kernel provider capable of long-term partnership rather than one-time certification support
• Managing frequent EMVCo bulletin updates that required kernel changes and regression testing
• High certification costs due to repeated kernel variants across multiple device models
• Complex ICS (Implementation Conformance Statement) preparation and frequent rework
• Coordination overhead with EMVCo-accredited test laboratories, including test case approvals, slot bookings, and failure resolution
• Pressure to reduce time-to-market for new terminal launches while maintaining strict compliance

Nature of Work

EazyPay Tech delivered end-to-end EMV Level 2 Kernel services, covering the complete lifecycle from development to certification and post-certification maintenance.

The scope of work included:

• EMV Level 2 Contact kernel integration with Level 1/Hardware Interface. 
• EMV Level 2 Contact Kernel development, enhancement, upgrade, and long-term maintenance
• Support for completing the latest EMVCo Level 2 Configurable Kernel ICS, ensuring accuracy and audit readiness
• Comprehensive EMV Level 2 Kernel testing using EMVCo-certified evaluation tools (EVAL)
• Finalization and coordination with EMVCo-accredited test laboratories
• Review and approval of applicable test cases with the test lab before execution
• ICS submission support and time-slot booking coordination with EMVCo-accredited labs
• Active representation during debugging sessions at the test lab
• Root-cause analysis and resolution of test failures, including direct technical discussions with the lab to close issues efficiently

Approach & Solution

EazyPay Tech followed a structured and compliance-driven execution approach to minimize risk and ensure predictable certification outcomes.

The engagement began with detailed requirement analysis, mapping the client’s terminal architecture, supported card schemes, and transaction flows against EMV Level 2 specifications. A modular kernel design was implemented, enabling reuse of the EMV kernel across multiple terminal models with minimal configuration changes.

The solution approach included:

• Development of new EMV Level 2 functionalities aligned with the latest EMV Book C specifications
• Implementation of minor updates and patches in response to EMVCo bulletins and scheme mandates
• Extensive pre-compliance testing to reduce failures during formal lab testing
• Proactive validation of ICS entries to avoid inconsistencies during lab review
• Close collaboration with EMVCo-accredited labs to streamline test execution and debugging
• Continuous support through EMV Level 2 certification cycles, ensuring smooth approvals

This disciplined approach allowed the client to maintain certification readiness while supporting ongoing product innovation.

Outcome & Business Benefits

The engagement delivered measurable technical and commercial benefits to the client.

Key outcomes included:

• Transparent time and cost estimates, enabling better planning of certification cycles
• Significant reduction in EMV compliance costs by reusing a single EMV core kernel across the entire device portfolio
• Faster speed-to-market, with rapid turnaround for defect fixes and minor EMV updates
• Reduced dependency on multiple vendors by having a single accountable EMV Level 2 partner
• Improved certification success rate due to proactive lab coordination and expert debugging support
• Long-term sustainability through a maintainable and upgrade-ready EMV Level 2 kernel architecture

Conclusion

By partnering with EazyPay Tech, the client had successfully transformed its EMV Level 2 compliance strategy from a fragmented, high-cost process into a scalable, efficient, and future-ready EMV kernel framework. The collaboration ensured regulatory compliance, reduced operational risk, and enabled the client to confidently launch and maintain EMV-certified payment devices across global markets.